We do the right thing even when it’s hard
Integrity is easy to claim, and harder to practise. We see the real test as what happens when doing right comes at a cost - when the investor is influential, when the employee is talented, when the shortcut is right there.
And this is what we’ve done in those moments: We turned down investors over ethical concerns. We let go of highly competent people because they weren’t right for our culture. We offered to give money back when we didn’t need it so another startup could benefit.
We use a simple test for everything else, too: would we be comfortable if this became public? That question keeps us fair and honest - about how we treat a free user versus a paying one, about whether we recognise a community contributor who never asked for anything, about the hundred small calls no one’s tracking except us. If the answer is yes, then we’re on the right track.
What it means to do the right thing at n8n
- You tell the truth about what’s hard, and choose what’s right over what’s easy
- You’re open and direct in your communication - clarity is a form of respect
- You’re transparent with others and honest with yourself
- You protect the culture: talent is never a licence to be an a**hole
- You give honest feedback - silence creates problems that arrive later, and trickier
- You do the right thing, even when no one is looking